Calvinistic Articles, with Arminian Ministers! If any one is yet doubtful as to this point, if he cannot discover this palpable schism in the sermons commonly delivered by the majority of the ministers of our church, let him only attend the preaching of two or three of those heterodox productions miscalled charity-sermons, which may be heard all the year round, and he will be abundantly convinced that the old brand of our ecclesiastical establishment firmly attaches; that this mark of spiritual alienation stands full in our front, and is not likely soon to be effaced. Founded on calvinistic articles, still we have, and seem likely to have, an arminian priesthood.

Richard Povah, LL. D. is from Corpus-Christi College, Cambridge; and is at least exempt from the charge which has just been preferred, with too great cause, against most of the ministers of that establishment in which he has generally been considered as an able preacher. Dr. Povah was ordained by the late Archbishop of York, Dr. Markham, upon a title to a Living in Yorkshire. He has been for some time Curate and EveningLecturer of St. James's, Duke's Place; where, about two years ago, he established an excellent School of Instruction and Industry, of which, in fact, he is both founder and visitor. Nearly six years since, he became Afternoon-Lecturer of St.

Paul's, Shadwell, which he still holds; and he was lately chosen, by a considerable proportion of votes, Friday-morning Lecturer at St. Bartholomew by the Royal Exchange, but has been prevented from fulfilling the intentions of the electors, as is well known, from the circumstance of the existing Bishop of London having refused to sanction their choice, on the score of Dr. Povah's unfitness for the office. This great question is yet before the world, who will shortly have to witness its fate.

Although occasionally he may choose to consult notes, Dr. Povah is on the whole an extemporary preacher. Respecting extemporaneous preaching, then, the question may not prove altogether so difficult of decision, as to practicability at least, as some disputants imagine.

Conceding, merely for the trial of this question, that the Ministers of Christianity do not always either compose or discourse under the immediate impulse of the Holy Ghost,' their adoption of the extemporary style is to be justified, or proscribed, by the judgment to be deduced from our common experience. What say nature and truth? Nature irresistibly propels us to prefer extemporary speakers. Now, setting apart any immediately super-human species of aid; why should it appear incredible, when we really wit

ness the thing-that the Christian Preacher, deeply imbued with the doctrines and spirit of his divine Master, especially when naturally endowed with eloquence, is enabled to deliver himself extemporaneously, experimentally, and efficaciously, touching that system of heavenliness and immortality which he has been specifically commissioned to preach? Adopt this reasoning more plainly. Supposing the individual to be gifted with eloquence; take any of our public speakers, master of his subject, whether at the bar or in the senate, and, without affecting any miraculous impulse, the sole wonder of men, accompanied by disappointment, would be occasioned by their finding him not speak with oratorical fluency and energy. And why is not this the case with those who preach?

The Rev. Dr. Povah belongs to this school. Nature has qualified him to speak with freedom to himself, and with ease and point to others; and he wisely follows, in these respects, the dictates of nature. Instead of any want of utterance, if he betrays one prominent fault, therefore, it is, that, since his ideas throng into his mind, he is too hurried in his delivery, in which there is an impetuosity and impediment at the same

moment.

His voice is clear, but it seems weak. His

gestures are striking; and his manner of address is engaging and impressive.

Solicitous to make himself intelligible, rather than ambitious of being reputed oratorical, Dr. Povah always succeeds in being beneficially understood, notwithstanding the suggestions of misrepresentation; although, owing to this feature of his preaching, he may, sometimes, not be uniformly so eloquent. His scriptural information is great, and his knowledge of mankind deep; whence his illustrations strike, and his applications warm. His divisions are, however, unadvisedly multiplied, and unnecessarily enumerated; whilst his discourses are, one must say, driven out to an impolitic length. Simplification of distribution, and condensation of materials, would render his pulpit duties less wearisome to himself, and more acceptable to congregations.

LEGH RICHMOND, A. M.

NATIONAL refinement has generally its share in promoting the decline of morals; and the reflecting individual, to whom the welfare of his species is most dear, must, notwithstanding that he admits and admires the various benefits which result from civilization, observe and regret the calamities with which its progress seems invariably connected. Christianity, Christianity, nevertheless, greatly operates to the correction of those evils which are inseparable from the more elevated stages of civilized intercourse. We may here trace, in various ways, the benign influence of religious institutions on political establishments; and we owe it to our piety, more than any thing else, that our polity does not often become intolerable. Since mere philanthropy, animated even by persuasion, is found inadequate to the ends of charity, still less reliance is to be placed on the effects of an instinctive beneficence. Reason too soon interferes between compassion and exertion; men begin to librate between their humanity and